Thick as Thieves(23)
“Hold on. I’m sorry. That was totally uncalled for.” She paused and took a breath. “I promise not to be so testy, if you’ll not be so hasty.”
“As I said, nothing’s been decided yet. I told Mr. Burnet that I would sleep on it and let him know tomorrow.”
“Do you really think he’s reputable?”
“He hasn’t given me a reason to think otherwise.”
“I’ve given you several.”
“You would judge him today based on what he did as a teenager? You, we, of all people should know how it feels to be looked upon with prejudgment and suspicion.”
“True, but I would feel better if I knew about his present standing in the community. Is he a stable and upstanding member of the community? Is he a member of the Chamber of Commerce? Is he married? Does he have a family?”
Arden didn’t have the answers to those questions.
Lisa was ahead of her. “I’ll see what I can find out about his current status.”
“I wish you wouldn’t.”
“I’ll be discreet. In the meantime, please promise me that you won’t sign a contract with him, or make a down payment, or do anything that will commit you. Not until we’ve had another chance to discuss it. I don’t want you to make another mistake.”
“If you’re referring to my baby, Lisa, she wasn’t a mistake.”
“I didn’t mean—”
But Arden hung up, too angry to listen to any more.
It was a lively place. Happy hour was in full swing. Brooks & Dunn were pumping through the speakers. There was noisy activity at all the billiards tables. Several men were clustered in front of a large-screen TV, watching a baseball game. At a table running along the far wall, a group of senior ladies, wearing feather boas and gaudy tiaras, were having a giggly, grand time.
Arden had to wait for several minutes before a barstool became free. She quickly claimed it. The bartender acknowledged her with a jerk of his chin as he filled two mugs with tapped beer. He swapped a few words with the couple he served, then made his way down the bar to her.
“Hi, there.” With a magician’s smooth skill, he removed the last patron’s glass and swiped the bar clean with a white towel. “First time in?”
“How did you know?”
“Because I’ve never seen you before, and I would remember. Welcome. My name’s Don.”
“A pleasure.” She didn’t give him her name, but she shook the hand he extended.
He slid a cardboard coaster in front of her. “What can I get you?”
She looked over at the table of ladies, who were laughing so hard, several were dabbing tears from their eyes. “Birthday party?” she asked.
He grinned. “Bachelorette party. The one with the spangles on her blouse is the bride. She’s getting married on Saturday.”
Arden laughed. “First marriage?”
“Second. She and the groom have known each other since they were kids. Married, had families, lost their mates a year apart. Found new love.”
“That’s certainly something to celebrate. Pour me a glass of the same wine.”
He winked. “I’ll pour you a better one.”
He removed a bottle of wine from the refrigerator under the back bar and showed her the label. Although she didn’t recognize it, she nodded approval. He poured enough for her to sample. “Light, crisp and very good,” she said. “Thank you.”
He filled her glass, but, after checking to see that he wasn’t needed by another customer, he stayed. “Are you with the naturalists group?”
She shook her head.
“There’s a two-day symposium on ecosystems and conservation going on over at the civic center. I thought maybe you might be in town for that.”
“No.”
“You live here or roundabouts?”
“I’ve been here for a few months. I’ve considered making it permanent.”
“I hope you do, and that you become a regular customer.”
“It looks as though you don’t lack for—”
She spotted the framed photograph on the back bar, and it stopped her cold. The bartender turned his head, then came back around. “If it was enlarged it would look like a movie poster, wouldn’t it?”
“A Mad Max movie.”
He chuckled. “That’s the owner’s nephew. Without all the gear, he looks only a little ferocious. In fact, ladies of all ages pine after him.”
Arden took a sip of wine. “What does his wife think of that?”
“He’s never married. Soldiered for a long time, then when he got home, there were other things to see to. Top off that glass?”
“No, I’m fine, thank you.”
“Let me know when you need another.” He excused himself to attend two men in angler hats who’d just come in. He called them by name and asked if they’d had any luck on the lake.
Well, she’d had one of Lisa’s questions about Ledge answered. Although Lisa had probably learned Ledge Burnet’s marital status before she had.
“Excuse me?”
Arden turned. One of the ladies from the bachelorette party was standing behind her, smiling tentatively. “Ms. Maxwell? I thought it was you.”